Monday night, St. Catharines City Council disrespected the voters and violated their own policy when it came to recommending how to fill a vacancy on Niagara Regional Council.

Instead of following their policy of recommending the runner up – which is the democratic and logical choice – they voted (in a controversial 7-6 split) to recommend one of their own City Councilors, Mat Siscoe to fill the vacancy.

Not only is this legally questionable (a sitting City Councilor is not eligible to be appointed based on the Municipal Act Section 261(1)), and of course there rises the question of conflict of interest, but it’s also just plain wrong and stinks of corruption.

But there is still a chance that this undemocratic and corrupt decision can be fixed: the St. Catharines Council vote was just a recommendation and Niagara Regional Council makes the final call.

I am calling on Niagara Regional Council to right the wrong and appoint the runner up being Mike Britton, who was actually on the Regional Council ballot, as this precedent has been set and established 6 times over the past 20 years.

Support this petition to support democracy! Thank you.